Gun-carriage.



CVH. YOST.

GUN CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.23. 1915.

1,1 90,356. Patented July 11, 1916.

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CLAUDE H. YOST, OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT. v

GUN-CARRIAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed November 23, 1915. Serial No. 63,022.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE H. Yos'r,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new-and usefulImprovements in Gun-Carriages, of which the following is aspecification. This invention relates to gun carriages, the main objectof the present invention being to produce a gun carriage which isparticularly designed for use against air craft of all kinds andparticularly aeroplanes and dirigibles, the carriage embodying novelmeans for maintaining the gun proper and providing for the recoil of thesame while at the same time enabling the gun to be inclined or poised atany desired angle between the horizontal and vertical and to be turnedso as to quickly bring the aircraft into range and follow the coursetaken by the aircraft until the charge is fired.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereindescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of thecomplete gun carriage, including the gun, embodying the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of the gun carriagecomplete. Fig. 3 is a vertical diametrical section through the carriage.Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top plan viewvof the carriage, omitting the stationary base. Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of one of the plunger guides. Fig. 8 is a similar view of theplunger.

The gun carriage contemplated in this invention comprises a stationarybase designated generally at A and comprising a bed plate 1, a tubularpedestal 2 extending upwardly from the bed plate 1 and having its lowerend flanged at 3 and fastened per manently to the bed plate. The upperextremity of the pedestal 2 is alsoprovided with an annular flange 4additionally supported by means of downwardly diverging braces 5 securedto the flange 4 and to the bed plate 1.

Mounted rotatably upon the base A is a turn table 6 having a centraldownwardly extending tubular shaft 7 which is received within thetubular pedestal 2, the lower end of the tubular shaft 7 embracing andbeing rotatable around a centrally located circular boss 8 which may beeither formed integrally with the bed plate 1 or fastened in anysuitable way thereto. The upper side of the flange 4 is formed atintervals with recesses 9 to receive supporting rollers 10 upon whichthe turn table 6 rests to enable the turn table to be revolved with theleast effort. The tubular shaft 7 is provided with an external annulargroove 11 in which are received the ends of a plurality of pivotallymounted catches or latches 12 which are normally pressed into engagementwith the groove 11 by means of springs 13, the catches 12 being providedwith pedal extensions 14 so that they may be moved by foot pressure outof engagement with the tubular shaft for the purpose of enabling theturn table 6 and all parts supported thereon to be removed from thestationary base when dismountinnthe movable parts of the gun carriage.

Secured in fixed relation to the turn table 6' and extending upwardlytherefrom is a hollow cylindrical recoil chamber 15. This recoil chamberis shown as provided with a bottom flange 16 secured by fasteners 17such as bolts or cap screws to the turn table 6 and the chamber 15 isalso provided with a similar flange 18 at its upper end upon which reststhe corresponding flanges 19 of oppositelv arranged plunger guides 20,the flanges 18 and 19 being bolted or otherwise fastened together asshown at 21. thus be seen that the parts 15 and 20 rotate with the turntable 6.

The guide arms 20 are concavo-convex in horizontal section asillustrated in the drawings and are provided adjacent to their up perextremities with vertically extending guide ways 22 in which areslidably mounted trunnion bearings 23 which receive the trunnions of thegun, the .bearings 23 being cushioned in their upward or downwardmovements by means of resilient bumpers 24 of rubber or like materialarranged in the upper and lower portions of the slots 22.

Slidably arranged between the guides 20 is a plunger 26 shown asprovided with a cavity 27 in the bottom thereof. The lower end of theplunger is preferably solid as shown in Fig. 3 and rests directly upon asupporting spring cap 28 having onits under side a spring centeringcircular boss 29 around which is placed the upper end of a recoil spring30 located in the chamber 15 It will and having its lower end disposedaround another centering boss 31 on the upper surface of the turn table6. The plunger 26 is prevented from turning within the recoil chamber bymeans of vertically extending keys or splines 32 which are received ingrooves 33 in the sides of the plunger body 26 as shown in Fig. 5.Extending upabove described, are carried by and bear a'.

fixed relation to the plunger arms 34: and embody removable caps 35 toenable the trunnions 36 of the gun 37 to be removed therefrom whennecessary. Handles 38 are provided on the arms to enable the majorportion of the gun, carriage together with the gun to be removed fromthe stationary base A. Cross braces 39 are employed to strengthen theplunger arms 34.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will now be seen that the gun may be turned ona vertical axis and also swung on a horizontal axis so as to quicklybring an aircraft into range and enable the gun to be quickly adjustedso as to follow the air craft, the gun being capable of being tilted toalmost any angle between a horizontal and a vertical line. To dismountthe major portion of the carriage it is only necessary to operate thecatches 12 and move the same out of engagement with the tubular shaft 7of the turn table. Thereupon, the turn table together with all theremainder of the gun carriage mounted thereon may be detached andremoved from the stationary base A. The spring absorbs the shock orrecoil of the gun and this is supplemented by the action of theresilient bumpers 24 which serve to properly position and yieldinglysupport the trunnion bearings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a gun carriage, astationary base, a turntable mounted to rotate thereon on a verticalaxis, a rotatable recoil chamber fastened upon said turntable,oppositely arranged parallel guides secured fixedly to said recoilchamber and rising therefrom and' spaced in relation to each other, agun carrying plunger slidable longitudinally of and between said guides,a plunger recoil spring in said recoil chamber, a gun having trunmons,and trunnion bearings having a fixed relation to said plunger and asliding relation to said guides.

2. In a gun carriage, a stationary base, a turntable mounted to rotatethereon on-a vertical axis, a rotatable recoil chamber fastened uponsaid turntable, oppositely arranged parallel guides secured fixedly tosaid recoil chamber and rising therefrom and spaced in relation to eachother, a gun carrying plunger slidable longitudinally of and betweensaid guides, a plungerorecoil spring in said recoil chamber, a 'gunhaving trunnions, trunnion bearings having a fixed relation to saidplunger and a sliding relation to said guides, and resilient bumpers atopposite sides of said trunnion bearings.

3. In a gun carriage, a stationary base, a turntable mounted to rotatethereon on a vertical axis, a rotatable recoil chamber fastened uponsaid turntable, oppositely arranged parallel guides secured fixedly tosaid recoil chamber and rising therefrom and spaced in relation to eachother, a gun carrying plunger slidable longitudinally of and betweensaid guides, a plunger recoil spring in said recoil chamber, a gunhaving trunnions, trunnion bearings having a fixed relation to saidplunger and a sliding relation to said guides, a tubular pedestal insaid base, and a tubular shaft extending from the turntable downwardlywithin said pedestal. 4. In a gun carriage, a stationary base, aturntable mounted to rotate thereon on a vertical axis, a rotatablerecoil chamber fastened upon said turntable, oppositely arrangedparallel guides secured fixedly to said recoil chamber and risingtherefrom and spaced in relation to each other, a gun carrying plungerslidable longitudinally of and between said guides, a plunger recoilspring in said recoil chamber, a gun having trunnions, trunnion bearingshaving a fixed relation to saidplunger and a sliding relation to saidguides, a tubular pedestal in said base, a tubular shaft extending fromthe turntable downwardly within said pedestal and formed with an annulargroove, and a catch on said pedestal movable into and out of saidannulargroove.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v CLAUDE H. YOST.

Witnesses:

FRANK J. HOHMS, M. STANLEY FINNEY.

